Mail-bag



(No Model.)

H. P. GAINES.

MAIL BAG.

No.354,546. Y Patented Deo. 21, 1886.

N PETERS. Phnm-Lilhogmplmn wnsningmn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM F. GAINES, OF ROUSES POINT, NFV YORK.

MAIL-BAG..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,546, dated December 21, 1886.

Application tiled March 20, 1886. Serial No. 195,989. (No model.) 4

To all whom it 'may concern.-

Be it knownl that I, HIRAM F. Gnnvns, a citizen of thc United States, residing at Rouses Point, in the county of Clinton and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in MailBags, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to mail-bags, having for its object the provision of an article which shall be simple and durable in construction, effective in operation, cheap of manufacture, and possessing the advantage of having the locking device secured in the inside, thereby preventing the said locking device from being tampered with, and the novelty consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the claims,

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a portion of a mail-bag embodying my improvements, the bag being closed. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the bag, showing the same open. Fig.3 is also an elevation of a portion of the bag, the leather being cut away to more clearly show the locking device. Fig. a is a section on the line e z of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the lock. Fig. 6 is also an enlarged. view of the lock with the top plate thereof removed, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the lockingbar.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts, A designates my mailbag having the flap a; B, a strap, one end of which is provided with .a staple, b, and the other end being lfastened at b to the part c of the lock C; D, a chain which is fastened at one end to the slide c of the lock to which the strap B' is secured, and at the other end to the slide c of the second lock.

b2 designates a strap placed on the bag op'- posite the locking-strap B.

E E designate lockingbolts, which are fastened by means of plates c to the flap of the mailbag, and are provided with recesses e e', into which the jaws c spring to lock the bag.

F F designate apertures cut in the bag just over the opening in the lock for the insertion of the locking-bolts E E.

c2 designates a spring which, after being coiled around the pivot c3, extends upwardly and supplies the force to press the jaws c into the recesses e of the bolts E,

The locks, it will be understood, are placed within the bag.

G G designate slots, respectively, in theilap ofthe bag and in the body thereof.

To lock the bag, the flap a is folded upon it,'and the locking-bolts E E ou the inside thereof are then pressed through the slot-s F in t-he bag, and thence into the open portion of the loclvC, where they are caught and locked by the jaw` c', engaging in the recess e', after which the free end of the strap B is brought around, and the staple thereon is inserted through the slots G Gf and locked on the other side of the bag by any suitable means. Thus it will be seen that even should the strap be cut the bag willremain locked.

To unlock the bag, it is preferably hung on a pcg or nail by means of the strap be, when the padlock is unlocked, the strap B disengaged by drawing out the staple, and by, pulling on said strap the jaws c c ofthe parts o o are withdrawn from their engagement with the locking-bolts E E, when it will be found that the liap of the bag is free.

Medications in details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention- Y as, for instance, there may be any number of the locks C and corresponding lockingbolts, e, or I may use a strap or other suitable means in place ofthe chain D.

l. The combination, with two or more spring actuated lockingslides, of a corresponding number of locking-bolts to receive said slides, and a pull-strap continuously connecting said slides and provided at its external end, which passes th rough the bag, with a locking-staple adapted to be passed through the iiap of the bag, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the bag A, having the slits F F, and flap a, carrying thelocking-bolts E, having recesses c, of the locks C, having slides c, studs c, and pressersprings c?, and secured within said bag, the chain D, connecting said slides, and the strap B, connected to one of said slides and carrying the staple b, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I-IIRAM F. GAINES.

Witnesses: Y

ROBERT E. Casier, J oHN R. MYnRs.

IOO 

